LANSING, Mich. -- Wednesday is a big day for friends and family of Jessica Heeringa, the Norton Shores mother who disappeared while working at a gas station in April 2013.
While police continue their search, a group advocating for her safe return continues their push for legislation that they think would protect other gas station workers.
"We need to get this law passed," said Lisa Colby Marra, supporter of HB 5189. "It's for protection of human life and to protect workers when they work in the evening."
Supporters of the so-called Jessica's Law will go before of lawmakers in Lansing Wednesday morning at a meeting of the state house commerce committee. The law would require gas station owners to have surveillance cameras at night or to employ two workers in overnight hours.
The bill was previously blocked, but supporters aren’t giving up.
"We asked for a hearing, and we also had to get more signatures" said Marra. "We had gone out and got a lot of signatures, and we had to go out and get more to get this hearing."
Supporters believe had Jessica’s Law been in place before Heeringa disappeared, investigators would have more leads, because something could have been caught on camera.
"I think law enforcement would be for this law also, because this is also to help them," said Marra. "If this law was in effect when Jessica was taken, then we would had some more to go on. Right now we don't have anything to go on, because there was no one in the store to see what was going on."
Supporters have been working alongside state Rep. Collene Lamonte, who sponsored HB 5189.
One of the concerns with the proposed law, according to supporters, is business owners concerned over the extra cost for surveillance cameras or adding extra staff.
"One comment was this is a law that's trying to tell employees how to spend their money, and I don't look at it like that at all. I look at this as protecting humans," said Marra.
Hoping for change with a second chance to have their concerns heard, family and friends and those who have been touched by Jessica’s story said that they aren’t giving up any time soon.
"Jessica keeps me going and the Herringa family. They are strong people. They are looking hard" said Marra. "We are supporting them. Team Jessica and Jessica's Law is supporting them."
The meeting in Lansing is just a hearing, and no vote is set to take place, but a re-vote is what supporters are fighting for.
Muskegon County law enforcement will also be in Lansing during the hearing to show their support.
